Coming in as the fifth spin-off is “Joanie Loves Chachi,” which starred Erin Moran and Scott Baio in the titular roles. This particular project is the first of its kind in that it follows two characters who were legitimately significant players in “Happy Days,” rather than guest stars — with Joanie, in particular, being “Happy Days” protagonist Richie’s younger sister.
Evidently, the writers and producers felt that the characters and their relationship simply needed more room to breathe on their own. The premise sees the couple pursuing musical careers in Chicago. While the spin-off was praised for the titular couple’s obvious chemistry, little else drew in viewership, and the series barely received two seasons. The two characters returned to “Happy Days” when their spin-off failed to woo audiences, and the conclusion of the series ended up being their wedding, which closed out with a surprising fourth wall break from Joanie’s father, Howard (per MeTV).
“Joanie Loves Chachi” is considered to be the last official live-action spin-off series to “Happy Days” … and yes, it is important to make the distinction about it being live-action, because there’s a lot more to cover.